


Orphan AU

by motorbike_on_the_avenue



Series: 30 days cheesy tropes challenge [13]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 30 Day Cheesy Tropes Challenge, Alternate Universe - High School, Established Relationship, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 20:10:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10771563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motorbike_on_the_avenue/pseuds/motorbike_on_the_avenue
Summary: Cas & Dean are graduating high school and no one from Cas's family has turned up.Dean wants to show him, he's not little orphaned Castiel.





	Orphan AU

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I've taken liberties with this one, because it isn't strictly an orphan AU. I just started writing this idea, and this is what came out, and I quite liked it, so I kept it. It was probably supposed to turn angsty, but it really, really didn't go in that direction at all. 
> 
> Nick is supposed to be the version that becomes Lucifer's vessel.

It was days like today that made Dean hate Cas’s family. He’d never even met the majority of them – only heard about them through Cas’s very limited dropped facts or a small comment in conversations with people who’d met them before.

Dean knows the older Novak brothers and sisters by sight of course – most of them were at school when him and Cas started.

Not that Cas ever spoke to them at school. Well, apart from to yell angry words at Gabriel whenever his older brother played a prank on him in the hallways.

Or when Anna came up to him and flirted shamelessly with Dean.

Neither of them were around today, Dean noticed. He hadn’t expected Cas’s parents to come to his graduation – Cas had just laughed when Dean asked if they’d been attending. They both had high powered jobs, but Cas had let slip that even if they weren’t working they weren’t interested in their kids.

Cas had got drunk once and told Dean that his parents had married too young and had had eight kids in quick succession. After the last one – Cas – had been born, Naomi had thrown herself back into work, making up for lost time.

So, that Cas’s parents weren’t here, wasn’t surprising. The fact that none of his seven brothers or sisters had shown up – that was.

Dean noticed that Cas kept glancing around whenever there was a lull in the conversation with whoever he was chatting to. One quick turn of his head, his blue eyes sweeping around the large grassy playing field. Sometimes Dean would catch him doing a double take when he spotted a woman with long red hair, or a short guy pass by.

And then Dean had to watch his boyfriend’s face drop every time he realised it wasn’t his sibling come to cheer him on.

Dean’s parents were there. His mother was currently chatting to a few of the other mothers on the side of the field, shielding the sun from her eyes with her hand. She’d been beaming up at him from the nearest row of chairs, Dean’s Dad next to her.

John was currently sitting with Dean’s baby brother Sam, who was chattering away about something excitedly while John nodded wearily.

‘What up, bitch?’ Charlie – one of Dean’s best friends – asks, bumping into his shoulder. ‘This should be the greatest day of your life – freedom, finally – and you look like someone’s just pissed in your cornflakes.’

Dean gives her a look. ‘What? You do. What’s up? Is leaving high school not the great emotional journey everyone’s led us to believe?’ When Dean still looks miserable, Charlie sidles closer to him. ‘Dean. What’s up? I thought everything was good? You and Cas are going away to college together…’ Dean’s face must change slightly when she says Cas’s name, because Charlie turns her head to look at him. ‘Cas?’ she guesses.

‘Yeah. None of his family showed.’

‘Gabriel and Anna aren’t here?’ Charlie asks. She cranes her neck, looking around, staring at the same red haired woman Cas keeps giving looks to before she turns and shows that no, she’s not Cas’s elder sister.

‘Don’t think they even bothered to text to say they weren’t coming.’ Dean knows they haven’t. Cas wouldn’t keep getting that little hopeful look on his face if they’d told him they weren’t coming.

How hard would it have been to send him a text?

‘Maybe they’re running late? Planes got cancelled, or maybe they got caught in an accident somewhere? Nothing serious, just a minor car accident.’ The excuses have gone through Dean’s head too.

But both Gabriel and Anna would only be coming from an hour away – two, maybe if there was traffic.

And as for the accident…well. At this point, Dean’s kind of hoping for one. Nothing serious, sure, but Dean’s hoping for a couple of broken fingers, something that would make them unable to text. ‘Why aren’t you over there with Cas?’ Charlie asks. Dean snorts.

‘Charlie, you think I haven’t been stuck to his side since we all got to leave? I was. But he told me it was getting annoying and that I had to go say bye to people and get drinks and say hi to my parents.’

‘Have you done any of that?’ Charlie asks.

They’re interrupted when a few of their class mates – ex class mates now– come up to him and Charlie. They hug, and cry on them, then spot someone else and start shrieking before running off.

Dean’s pretty sure he’s never spoken to those three girls before in his life.

When they finally leave, Dean turns to Charlie. ‘There you go, I said bye to people. And I got a drink.’

‘And your parents?’ Charlie asks. Dean shrugs.

‘They’re busy. I’ll get to say hi to them later.’

‘Instead you’re just going to stand here and creepy stare at Cas? I thought you two got over that when you eventually got together.’

Dean rolls his eyes, but it’s a familiar tease. Yes, there was a lot of ‘creepy staring’ going on between Dean and Cas. For the ten years that they’d been friends and nothing more.

Well, apart from desperately (and secretly) in love with each other.

He turns back to look at Charlie.

‘I’m just worried about him. He pretends that he doesn’t care, that this won’t bother him. But he’s got seven brothers and sisters and two parents. Plus, countless aunties and uncles, some of them who literally live down the road from here. You’re telling me that not one of them could be bothered to come?’

‘Cas has a shitty family, Dean, that’s not news.’

‘Yeah, Dean,’ comes a deep voice from behind him. ‘That really isn’t news.’ Cas is standing behind Dean, arms crossed. He looks pissed.

‘You know, this is such an emotional day, I think I’m just going to go and re-do my make-up. I’ve cried it all off.’ Charlie whirls around, heading in the direction of the toilets.

‘If I didn’t know that the only make-up she owns is costume, I’d think I’d really believe her,’ Cas says. Then Cas looks at Dean.

‘Okay, before you say anything,’ Dean says, holding up his hands. ‘I did get a drink. And I’ve been cried on. Look, see.’ He points at a small wet patch on his gown, near his shoulder.

‘Have you been to see your parents yet?’ Cas asks.

‘I was just getting around to it, but you know Charlie came over and we got chatting and then you turned up.’ Cas rolls his eyes.

‘Dean. Go and hug your parents. This is their day too. They’re proud of you, go let them show you off.’

‘Cas…’ Cas sighs, bringing a hand up to rest on Dean’s arm.

‘Dean.’

‘No, Cas, let me,’ Dean says. He knows that Cas is about to come out with some bullshit excuse about how he’s fine, and wasn’t expecting anyone.

But Dean knows Cas. Better than anyone. ‘I know you’re disappointed that no one showed up. I’m guessing that you feel crappy right now, like you’ve been abandoned.’

‘I am not poor little orphaned Castiel.’

‘No. But you might as well be.’ Cas swallows down whatever he was going to say.

‘I am disappointed that a few of the siblings I consider myself closest too didn’t show up. But I know that I am not alone. Not since…not since we got together anyway.’ It’s been over a year since it happened – Dean following Cas into a janitor’s closet at a school dance, and then finding themselves pressed up against each other in the dark – but Cas is blushing lightly at the admission.

‘Cas, even before we got together you weren’t alone. You know that.’

‘I do.’ Cas takes Dean’s hand, swinging them gently in the space between them. ‘It is making me think that maybe I won’t have any family for the big events of my life, but just like today I’ll get over that, too.’

That’s enough. Dean will not let Cas suffer through the rest of today thinking there’s no one here that cares about him.

Dean tugs on Cas’s hand, pulling him over to his mother first. She sees them coming and bids farewell to the parents she’s talking to.

‘Ah, there my boys are,’ she says. She pulls Cas into a hug first, and not for the first time – and not for the last – Dean sends a silent thanks to whoever assigned him Mary Winchester as his mother. She seems to just get it whenever one of his friends is down, or Cas could use some extra parenting. ‘I’m so proud of you both.’ She pulls Dean into a hug then, giving him a big squeeze around his shoulders. ‘I got through nearly a whole pack of tissues today.’ Dean rolls his eyes. ‘What? Don’t roll your eyes at me, Dean Winchester. Your Dad took his fair share too.’ Dean huffs a laugh at that because the idea of his Dad crying is a little hard to believe.

‘Are you guys all done saying your goodbyes? We’ve got reservations in half an hour,’ Mary says. ‘I see John’s been cornered by Mrs. Tran. I should go rescue him. Excuse me.’ She hurries off to where her husband is being spoken to by an elegant woman, who’s talking a mile a minute and gesturing to her son, standing beside her.  

Dean turns around so he can lace both his hands with Cas’s.

‘I hope my internal angst hasn’t ruined today for you,’ Cas says. ‘I know you were counting down the days.’

‘Yeah, man. High school – well. It was high school. Not too bad considering some horror stories, but it was still high school, you know. Now life can begin.’

‘Yeah, endless college work and adult responsibilities,’ Cas laughs. Dean smiles, but he knows Cas has been living with adult responsibilities for a while now. He’s been on his own in his house for four years, taking care of his health and wellbeing, making sure his clothes were washed and ironed.

‘Remember how you said you were hoping not to ruin today…’ Dean says instead. Cas squeezes his hand, then drops them, pulling himself to stand straighter.

‘I’ll call you tonight, okay? Late, I know how you guys like to eat,’ Cas says. He’s looking around the field again, one last little bit of hope dying inside him – not that anyone would be able to tell. Except Dean.

‘Dude, what are you talking about?’ Dean asks.

‘The Winchesters can pack it away. I predict you’ll be in that restaurant for at least four hours.’

‘Right. But you know you’re going to be there too. Literally right next to me if I can wrangle it my way.’ Cas tilts his head to the side, squinting at Dean. ‘Dude, I did tell you you’re coming for dinner with us tonight…didn’t I?’

‘No, Dean, I don’t believe you did.’ Oops. Dean forgot.

Oh well.

‘My bad. Sorry. But you better not be wimping out on me, cause you know what my mother’s like. She’ll be so disappointed if she doesn’t get to gush over our achievements for the next four hours to everyone in the restaurant.’

Dean picks up Cas’s hand again, and leads him over to his parents. They stand chatting for a few minutes, and then make their way over to the slowly emptying car park.

Cas is just about to get in the car, when he pauses squinting at the other side of the field.

‘Everything okay?’ Dean asks, waiting for Sammy to climb into the middle of the car.

‘Yeah,’ Cas says. ‘I just thought…’ he trails off, then closes the car door and starts walking off.

Dean really hates it when he does that. He usually does it at the end of a date, or even when they’re just studying around Dean’s house. Just says ‘I have to go,’ and then leaves.

Even if it’s just because he’s been trying to leave for half an hour and Dean keeps stopping him using a variety of distraction tactics (okay, they make out.)

There’s a scruffy headed blonde guy coming towards them. He’s wearing jeans and a white t-shirt and he stops when he sees Castiel.

‘Nick,’ Cas says, sounding completely shocked. Dean’s shocked too; the last time he saw Cas’s eldest brother – shit, is he second eldest, he can never quite remember the order of the Novak brothers – Nick, he was a teenager. But this guy in front of him is at least late twenties.  ‘What are doing here?’

‘I’d ask if it’s your graduation, but even I can see that’s a pointless question,’ Nick says, gesturing to the gown Cas is still wearing. ‘I came to see it.’ He rubs at the stubble on his chin. ‘Sorry, I missed it. My timings always been a little shit.’ Cas laughs, and the sound makes something warm trickle inside Dean’s stomach. ‘Gabriel did tell me what time it started.’

‘You’ve spoken to Gabriel?’ Cas asks.

‘Yeah. He called a couple of hours ago. He told me to ‘apologise profoundly’ on his behalf but he somehow – and he’s not quite himself how it’s happened – but he’s somehow found himself in Mexico. Without a phone or passport.’ Nick grins. ‘He had to try and blag a phone off someone and my number was the only one he could remember – mainly cause it’s the easiest number in the world. He really did want to be here, Cas.’ Nick lays a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

There’s silence between the brothers, and Dean decides he should intervene.

‘Hey, I’m Dean. Cas’s boyfriend.’

‘Nice to meet you Dean. I’ve heard a few things about you. I presume you’re coming to the party next week?’

‘What party?’ Dean and Cas ask at the same time.

‘Your graduation party, you moron?’ Cas gives Nick a blank stare. ‘Next week? Gabriel’s planned this whole big thing, he’s even making a cake, he’s invited practically everyone he’s ever met…shit. Did he forget to mention it to you?’

‘It seems like a lot of people have been forgetting to tell me things today,’ Cas says and Dean gives him a playful nudge in the ribs. ‘Gabe’s throwing me a party? Really?’

‘Cas, half the family are flying back into town for it. I know it sucks that we all missed today, but the life of a Novak…’

‘Doesn’t lend well to mid-afternoon activities,’ Cas finishes for him. ‘There’s going to be a Novak party to celebrate…me?’ Dean and Nick exchange a look.

‘Nick, we’re all going to a restaurant to celebrate. Wanna join us?’ Dean asks.

‘Sure. If that’s okay with Cassy here,’ Nick says, ruffling Cas’s hair. Cas rolls his eyes and ducks, but Dean can see the smile on his face.

‘I’d like that,’ Cas says. Dean gives the address to Nick, who goes back to his car, promising to meet them there.

‘Not little orphan Annie then,’ Dean says, grabbing Cas’s hand and leading them back to the car. His family are all sitting inside staring at them, but Mary is grinning at him through the window. She might recognise Nick.

‘Dean, I told you I wasn’t little orphan Annie,’ Cas says rolling his eyes. ‘Like I said. I haven’t felt alone since I met you.’

And even though there’s a car full of his family watching them, Dean can’t help but pull Cas into a kiss.

Just so he knows he really isn’t alone.


End file.
